Eva feeling happy that Bethany was finally deciding to talk about the subject matter, held her friend’s hands asking her what she thinks when she sees Duke.
Bethany, could not answer that question as she did not know what she feels whenever she sees him as she was confused.
“Does your heart heartbeats up a million times?”, Eva continued choking Bethany with questions while she stood still like a statue that is finely carved to not react to anything nor any reactions.
Bethany raising her gaze wondering what her friend was talking about all the time, swallowing the saliva that had formed a lump in her throat.
“Silence they say means yes to the question being asked and you my firmed have feelings for Sir Duke”, she spoke as she screamed out of joy dancing that the sound of her voice attracted the concern of my mom asking if anything has happened.
Bethany, using her hands to shut her friend’s mouth from making is much noise, could not succeed as she only continued jubilating as though she had heard that we were recent winners of a jackpot.
Eva was so happy as she repeatedly said,
” My friend is in love”, shaking her bump in all directions that made it difficult for Bethany to keep a straight and serious face so she had no other choice but to burst out of laughter.
“You can be so silly sometimes Eva and I do not even have a clue about how I get to endure this insanity of yours”, Bethany let out as she checked her cooking pot on the stove and opening the lid of the pot to check how the rice was getting cooked finely in grains.
Eva was so excited that whatever her friend was saying, was not a concern as she had what she needed.
Dancing closer to Bethany, she stopped for a while and asked,
” Do you often desire Duke whenever you saw him around or in front of you or do you crave to have his shaft in between your bud making you desire without having the strength to hide back your moaning?”.
Bethany who had taken a glass of water to add into the boiling pot of rice and had some in her mouth as she was drinking it, laughed out in amusement that the water inside her mouth splash on Eva’s face, and they both burst of laughing so hard that Bethany got choked.
Eva rushing to rub her back slowly and her coughing had made her mother ask Duke to go check on what was happening in the kitchen, gave birth to another tension as soon as Duke walked into the kitchen with a concerned look.
“What is the problem, your mother asked me to check on you as you were coughing hard”, Duke spoke kindly walking more into the kitchen to inspect more on what was wrong with Bethany.
Bethany could not move as her large and beautiful eyes looked at Duke as he approached her with her tongue-tied to her mouth and she was breathing profusely like she had seen a ghost.
Eva who had caught her friend right-handed lost in the sight of her prince charming coughed slowly and moved to the other side of the kitchen.
Bethany coming back to herself, after Eva coughing up, asked Duke what he was doing in the kitchen and that he should be in the living room with my mama, turning to search for other jobs to do.
The tension on Bethany’s face was so glaring that even Duke had noticed it too that she was avoiding eye contact with him.
Eva, whistling like someone who was having a great day, asked Duke if he was okay and if he needed something to drink.
Duke shook his head in denial and told Bethany that he was leaving and her reaction was the icing on the cake that Eva needed to conclude everything.
Bethany immediately turned with one shocking response,
” You are leaving already?. Won’t you have dinner with us anymore?”, she spoke out before realizing herself.
Eva opened her eyes in total shock to what she had just heard, and Duke who was almost about to get out of the kitchen door, swiveled back to face Bethany, thinking that what he had heard was not real.
Bethany who was embarrassed by what had just happened arranged herself and voice and asked her question normally but Duke responded with a smile,
“I said that I was leaving the kitchen back to the living room, I was not talking about going back home because I will like to have a taste of this delicacy”, he spoke out and returned to meet her mother in the sitting room.
Eva who had been watching the whole scene, could not hold herself from laughing out loud like a newly initiated warlock.
Bethany, who was filled with so much embarrassment, noticed that her out was burning and had to turn off the stove.
Eva mimicking her friend continued laughing so hard that Bethany could not find where to hide her head.
” I will hit your head with this cooking spoon if you don’t stop laughing at me now”, she told Eva walking closer to her with the cuisine spoon in her hand accompanied with a diabolical look.
Eva running to the other side of the kitchen held her lips with both fingers shining her eyes.
Bethany took the plates from the shelves and placing them on the table in the kitchen, she looked at her friend who still had her fingers on her lips, and said,
“You do not have to stay with your fingers on your lips silly”, and Eva cracked up with laughter.
Bryan had just returned home surprised to still find Duke in their house, he greeted them both and went to the kitchen straight as he was starving and he had got to eat.
” Food will be served in some minutes”, Eva related the moment she saw Bryan walking into the kitchen.
The incident was so funny that everyone cracked up and Bethany, pleaded with her friend to help her set the table so that she could bring in the food.
The table was dressed up and the food was taken to the dining.
Bethany had brought out the plates, cutlery, and glasses. She placed water and the fruit juice she had kept in the fridge and apologized to Duke for not having a bottle of wine to accompany the meal with.
Duke with a friendly smile, responded that everything coming from her is a pleasure for him to share with them.
Eva and Bryan rolled their eyes in awe.
Bethany excused herself as she went inside to get her mother’s medications so that she could take them after her meal.
When she came back, she sat down on the table close to her mom and asked everyone to bow down their heads as they thanked the Lord for the meal.
Bryan who’s stomach was grumbling already, stayed on his seat with his eyes fixed on the soup dish and salivating.
At the sound of the “Amen”, he jumped on the table and began to serve himself.
” Hey young man, the visitors get to be served first so slow down”, his other yelled out.
Duke with a tone of calmness, told Mrs. Marvin that Bryan should not be stopped as he was playing with it and also that he will not be a stranger in her family anymore.
He spoke with his case fixed on Bethany, making her sweat and giving Eva more details to bother her friend with later when they will be just the both of them.
Bethany served Duke first and his mother second, Eva followed the line and then Bethany served herself last.
Duke who could not stop staring at her, perceived the aroma of the food and without any control over his tongue from talking, he rounded off the meal with just one taste from his plate.
“This is one of the best meals I have had in a while, it tastes delicious Betty”, he spoke out savoring the meal from his plate.
Bethany, feeling timid about the addendum that Duke had made on her meal, lowered her case focusing on her food.
Bryan was not talking as he was the only person who was deep in his meal.
” Betty, your cooking will make me follow you to your husband’s house when you get married”, he told his sister, serving more.
Bethany and the others chuckle looking at him to enjoy his meal.
“You can say that again Bryan this meal is so delicious”, he said, asking Bethany if there was some left for him to take home.
Eva giggles more asking Duke what he will want an extra dish for when he can eat in the most expensive restaurants whenever he wants.
Duke replied with a smile saying that he can afford to eat in any restaurant for sure, but the meal cooked by a special someone is always more appetizing than this cooked by chefs and others.
Bethany’s mother was just watching the whole scene not saying anything, she looked at her daughters demeanor to everything Duke was uttering taking note of how she was taking it.
Bethany gave her mothers drugs, and when she noticed that everyone was enjoying their meal, she asked if they needed some more juice and got up to bring some.
With a smart look at Mrs. Marvin, Duke asked her what her plans were for tomorrow, as he will want to send his driver to come pick her up to go somewhere.
She said that she had no program but if God will allow her to see another day then she will follow his driver to where she will want her to be.
” You will not die now mom”, Bryan said changing his mood.
Duke admitted that Bryan had a point and in times like that they have to think positively and not negatively.
Duke is right Mom, you do not have to feel weak as there is still hope for you.
Bethany had come back to the dinning with a jar of cold juice and a packed meal box parceled carefully not to let it it’s content.
She handed it over to Duke and with a smile he thanked her for it.
Duke rising to his feet and looking at the wall clock, thanked Mrs. Marvin for her hospitality and sharing his well spent day with the Marvins family and also appreciated Evas presence as well.
It was obvious that Bethany was not happy with Dukes leaving as traces of sadness formed on the parts of her face.
Duke walked round the table and kissed Mrs. Bethany’s hand he wished them all a good night.
Just as he was about leaving the house, a soft voice coming from behind made his legs not to move an inch from where he was moving.
“Take care of yourself and drive carefully on your way back Mr. Duke”, Bethany, spoke out with a tear in her left eye and she could not explain why she was feeling so emotional all of a sudden.
Everyone was silent after hearing this words, including Duke himself as he turned to make sure that he was not hallucinating with what he had just heard.
He told her not to be bothered about him and that he was going to be fine.
He saluted everyone and left for his house feeling is tired but very happy as he got to know who Bethany really is and what a wonderful family and friend she has in her life.
She is also an excellent cook and a dedicated child to her family.
He unlocked his car and entered into it taking out his cellphone and only by seeing the number of missed calls from Henry, his mother and some other friends.
He gave out a huge sigh and started his jeep as he left.
Bethany had been staring at the window feeling something that was abnormal to her but she could not explain it either.
After seeing Duke departing, she went back and cleared up the table and exhaustion had taken all over her core.
Eva who had to go back home too as it was getting late, wished them goodnight too as she told Bethany that she will pay her a visit again tomorrow.
Eva was just two streets away from Bethanys home so she could come there anytime she deemed it fit to appear at her house.
Bryan opted to help his surer was the dishes and she took their mother to her room so that she can shower and brush her teeth before going to bed.
Bethany ensured that the doors were well locked and the lights outside were always on before they could go to bed.
She later joined Bryan in the kitchen and helping each other, they tidied up the kitchen in no time.
Bethany, touching her brothers hair, told hum that she will be in her room as she had to take a warm bath and and read her romantic tales as she always liked romance.
Bryan who had nothing else to do but to play video games till sleep starts knocking on the door of his eyes.
Bethany, closing her door making sure that no one could get in, took off her dresses and looked at her fine slim legs on the mirror, as she walked her way into her bad room singing a melodious song.
In her privy was a bathtub and she tested the temperature of the water running out of the tap, entering inside feeling every vibration of the water on her soft skin.
” I love the smoothness of water and it’s natural effects it has on healing every fatigue and wound on one’s body”, Bethany enjoyed her bath.
Her mother was in her room, tuning of all the things that had happened during the day and she could not hold her happiness from streaming as she could count on Duke not to easily give up on her daughter as the others did whenever she showed them her authoritative side.
He is a man who knows what he wants so I trust him completely to do the needful.
I could see it in his eyes that he wants Bethany so badly and I will watch and see what happens.
She had suddenly remembered that, duke had said that he will be sending his driver to meet with her tomorrow so as to take her somewhere but she could not help but wonder where he will want her to follow her driver to given the fact that, her daughter is the person he has feelings for.
She arranged her pillow and while thinking of her health issue and the fact that she does not have a lot of time to live, she wished to make her families bind more stronger that it is now.
Duke was finally at his house and walking in, he is welcomed by the maid as she asked him if he will like for his dinner to be served.
Duke replied with a smile telling her he already had dinner handing over the parcel he had in his hand as he gave her strict instructions to put it in the freezer as he will eat it for breakfast tomorrow before leaving for work.
His mother who had been sitting at the other part of the living room, saw everything that had happened and she became curious as to what was in that parcel that her son was giving struct orders about.
Duke asked the maid where his mother was and if whether she had taken her drugs this evening, and without any hesitation, the made responded with a positive answer.
She turned to the other side and told Duke that his mother was there with a guest.
“A guest?”, he asked in surprise looking at the direction where his mother was sitting.
The maid affirmed it and left for the kitchen while Duke made his way to meet them.
Greeting his mother, he smiled at the guest that he had never seen before, and she smiled back stretching her hand to him greeting him politely.
” My name is Sylvia Collins and I am glad to meet you”, the lady spoke out and from her outfit and ascent, he could immediately deduce that she is an educated lady who did not study in that part of the country as she was fluent.
Duke was already aware of what was going to follow after that introduction but he divided to play along introducing himself as well to her and shaking her hands too.
She said that she has heard a lot of things about him and the most amazing part of the story is that he is single and searching.
Duke with a disappointed peek, observed his mother as he could not understand why she will not let him to have his peace.
He faked a smile and told Sylvia that he had to get upstairs to shower and she said that she hopes they get to meet again before she leaves.
His mother was satisfied with her little plans as she was having a more bigger plan that was about to be hatch and that was going to be the line between she and so as Duke will not want to believe.
He left them and went upstairs to his room so as to shower and sleep off because tomorrow is a work day.
“How do you see my son?”, she asked Sylvia with a smile on her face.
Sylvia rolling her eyes and tongue, narrated a whole book about the charming young man that had just left her presence making her to behave like a loose dog who was ready to devour a freshly-sliced meat if placed in front of her just for another minute.